Happy Trails put a luckless run in the $3 million Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) behind him with a last-stride victory in Saturday’s $1 million Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

The win was the Paul Beshara-trained gelding’s third success at the highest level following wins in the 2012 Emirates Stakes (1600m) and 2013 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).

Beshara said Happy Trails would now head to the paddock before coming back in the autumn to target the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in Sydney.

“It was an outstanding run; a champions run,” Beshara said.

“He got held up in the Turnbull (Stakes), never saw daylight. I think he’s the best weight-for-age horse in Australia, if not the world.

“He’s just a great, great horse. He’s so accommodating, he gives you his heart.”

After settling towards the rear of the field early, when jockey Damien Oliver pulled Happy Trails ($7) to the outside in the straight he powered to the line before eventually reeling in He’s Your Man ($6) in the shadows of the post.

After racing wide throughout, Farraaj ($12) finished a further three-quarters-of-a-length away in third.

Speaking after his first Group 1 success for the season, Oliver said Happy Trails deserved to get the win.

“He hasn’t had a lot of luck this Spring, we didn’t finish far from the winner (in the Cox Plate) and he deserved to win a big race this Spring,” Oliver said.

“I can’t let Joao the Brazilian win them all, mate!

“It’s a great thrill to win a big race on Derby Day and its just fantastic for Paul (Beshara) and Eric and Pete, all the owners, wonderful.” - racing.com